In the enormous wake of outrage that followed Ray Rice's botched suspension, Roger Goodell last week finally took a long, hard look at the NFL's domestic violence epidemic and called for an iron-fist stance against offenders: six games for first-time offenses; a lifetime ban if you do it again.

On Sunday, three days after the league announced its new policy, police arrested 49ers starting defensive end Ray McDonald on suspicion of felony domestic violence charges against his pregnant fiancee. ​But Goodell and the 49ers are allowing a full investigation to play out before enacting punishment.

Harbaugh cited due process as his reasoning for allowing McDonald to play as they await more details about the arrest, adding that he had zero tolerance for players who abuse women.

“We’ve been pretty clear on that,” Harbaugh said. “Two principles are woven together here. I just feel like the way the facts are, and what’s known, he has the liberty to play in the game.”

McDonald has yet to be charged with a crime.

A San Jose Police Department spokeswoman told the San Francisco Chronicle Friday that they have no update on McDonald’s case. Police have said the victim had “visible injuries," according to the report.

On Wednesday, Goodell said the league would let the legal process play out before deciding whether or not McDonald would be subject to the new policy.

"I think the first thing we have to do is let the process play out, get the facts, and make sure you understand all the circumstances," Goodell said. "We don't (know the facts) right now and we're obviously following it very closely. But the policy will be applied uniformly across players, coaches, executives, commissioners. I think we made that very clear in the policy."

McDonald was late for practice on Wednesday and Thursday because he was “dealing with the matter,” Harbaugh said. He also has a DUI on his record from an arrest in 2010.